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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. ball — a great time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. season — of the year
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. rock — music
  10. ball — a dance
  11. game — a match
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. game — wild animals
  15. rock — a stone
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. tube — a container
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. deal — to handle
  23. tube — the underground
  24. deal — an agreement

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com